AFC Players of the Week - Week 4

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AFC Players of the Week - Week 4

Players of the Week/Month2015RegularWeek 04English

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CHARGERS QB PHILIP RIVERS, BRONCOS S T.J. WARD &

RAVENS K JUSTIN TUCKER NAMED AFC PLAYERS OF WEEK 4

Quarterback PHILIP RIVERS of the San Diego Chargers, safety T.J. WARD of the Denver Broncos and kicker JUSTIN TUCKER of the Baltimore Ravens are the AFC Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Week for games played in Week 4 (October 1, 4-5), the NFL announced today.

OFFENSE: QB PHILIP RIVERS, SAN DIEGO CHARGERS

Rivers passed for 358 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions for a 118.1 passer rating in the Chargers' 30-27 win against Cleveland.

He connected with three different receivers on his three touchdown passes, including a one-yarder to tight end JOHN PHILLIPS midway through the fourth quarter to give the Chargers a 27-19 lead.

Rivers subsequently led an eight-play, 57-yard drive in the final 2:09 to set up the game-winning 34-yard field goal by kicker JOSH LAMBO as time expired in the fourth quarter.

His three touchdown passes tied for the most in the NFL in Week 4, and the performance marked his 40th career three-touchdown game.

In his 12thseason from North Carolina State, this is Rivers' seventh career Player of the Week Award and first since 2014 (Week 16).

His seven career Offensive Player of the Week Awards are the second-most of any Chargers player since the award's inception in 1984 (running back LA DAINIAN TOMLINSON, 10).

​DEFENSE: S T.J. WARD, DENVER BRONCOS

Ward had six tackles, two sacks, one forced fumbled and one pass defensed in the Broncos' 23-20 win against Minnesota.

With 35 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter, Ward recorded a strip-sack that led to a fumble recovery by teammate VON MILLER to seal the victory.

His career-high two sacks tied for the most among NFL players in Week 4.

Ward joins JOHN LYNCH as the only defensive backs in Broncos history to record two sacks and a forced fumble in the same game.

In his sixth season from Oregon, this is Ward's first career Player of the Week Award and the second by a Broncos defender this season (AQIB TALIB, Week 1).

He is the first Broncos safety to be named Defensive Player of the Week since John Lynch in 2005 (Week 17).​

SPECIAL TEAMS: K JUSTIN TUCKER, BALTIMORE RAVENS

Tucker converted all three field-goal attempts and both PATs for a total of 11 points in the Ravens' 23-20 overtime win at Pittsburgh on Thursday Night Football.

He sent the game into overtime with a 42-yard field goal with three seconds remaining in the fourth quarter and clinched the victory with a 52-yard game-winning kick in overtime.

Tucker scored the game's final 10 points, as he converted a PAT in the third quarter and then made each of his three field-goal attempts in the fourth quarter and overtime.

Tucker is the first player since Atlanta's MICK LUCKHURST (September 28, 1986) to score the game's final 10 points including the winning points in overtime.

In his fourth season from Texas, this is Tucker's fifth Special Teams Player of the Week award and first since 2014 (Week 3).

His five career Special Teams Player of the Week Awards are the second-most in Ravens history (MATT STOVER, six).

2015 AFC PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Offense

Defense

Special Teams

Wk 1

QB Marcus Mariota, Tennessee

CB Aqib Talib, Denver

PR-WR Jarvis Landry, Miami

Wk 2

QB Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh

CB Darrelle Revis, N.Y. Jets

PR-WR Travis Benajamin, Cleveland

Wk 3

WR A.J. Green, Cincinnati

LB Preston Brown, Buffalo

P Pat McAfee, Indianapolis

Wk 4

QB Philip Rivers, San Diego

S T.J. Ward, Denver

K Justin Tucker, Baltimore

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Other nominees for AFC Offensive Player of Week 4 as submitted by AFC clubs:

Cincinnati quarterback ANDY DALTON, who passed for 321 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions for a 127.1 passer rating in the Bengals' 36-21 win against Kansas City.

Baltimore running back JUSTIN FORSETT, who rushed for 150 yards on 27 attempts.

New York Jets running back CHRIS IVORY, who rushed for 166 yards and one touchdown in the Jets' 27-14 win against Miami in London.